Best Lawyers Near You in Lake Forest, California for Labor and Employment Law - Management
James P. Carter is a principal in the Orange County, California, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. He counsels and defends employers in all aspects of employment law, including discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, retaliation, wage and hour claims, non-compete and trade-secret issues and claims, class action cases, breach of contract claims, disability accommodation, leave of absence, and workers' compensation issues. James represents clients in many industries including financial, bi...
Jonathan A. Siegel is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Labor Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Jonathan A., who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2019. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jonathan A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Michael A. Gregg is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management. Michael A., who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Marie DiSante is the Firm Managing Partner at CDF Labor Law LLP (CDF), a California focused labor, employment and immigration defense law firm with five offices throughout the state. An employment litigation attorney whose dual role as a California business owner and entrepreneur allows her to understand her clients’ workplace challenges firsthand, Marie DiSante has been resolving and preventing disputes for employers for 28 years. Her active leadership in the business community shapes ...
Karl Lindegren is a partner in the Irvine and Los Angeles offices. He represents employers in all areas of labor and employment law. He provides clients with preventive advice and counseling on issues ranging from union avoidance to compliance with state and federal laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), defending and preventing wrongful discharge and discrimination claims and protection of trade secrets. His litigation practice in...
John Polson is a partner in the Irvine office and a member of the firm's Management Committee. He represents employers and staffing industry clients in all aspects of labor and employment law, including transactional matters, litigation, compliance advice and audits, executive and management training, and other employment related legal matters. John handles administrative and civil employment litigation matters, including arbitrations, in California and elsewhere. John has particular expertis...
Jim McDonald is managing partner of the Irvine office and a partner in the Los Angeles office. He is also the firm's marketing partner and chair of the firm's Development Committee. Jim tries employment cases before juries, judges and arbitrators. His practice especially focuses on executive terminations, workplace harassment and discrimination claims, the Americans with Disabilities Act, mental health issues in the workplace, and trade secrets and unfair competition matters. Jim also advises...
Warren Nelson is a partner in the firm's Irvine and Los Angeles offices. His practice emphasizes collective bargaining, defense of unfair labor practice charges, arbitrations, representation of employers in union organizing campaigns, occupational safety and health, and wage and hour law. Warren has over 30 years of labor and employee relations experience in unionized and non-unionized environments. He has negotiated over 250 labor agreements for employers, covering construction, manufacturin...
Nicole M. Shaffer is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management. Nicole M., who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Nicole M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Lonnie Giamela is a partner in both the Los Angeles and Irvine offices. He represents a broad range of clients, from small businesses to national companies, in all sectors of manufacturing, retail, wholesale distribution, hospitality, education and the automotive industries. Lonnie has handled a full range of labor and employment matters, from single-plaintiff to multi-plaintiff, in both federal and state courts in California, the California Court of Appeals, the California Supreme Court and ...
Patricia Matias is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Patricia, who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Patricia is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Nicole A. Legrottaglie is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Nicole A., who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Nicole A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Jordan Wysocki is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Labor and Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Jordan, who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jordan is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Kristina N. Buan is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Labor and Employment Law - Management. Kristina N., who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kristina N. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Christian Amos is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Labor and Employment Law - Management. Christian, who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Christian is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Kari represents employers in a variety of employment cases, including claims for harassment, discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination, employee defection, and wage-and-hour disputes. She also has substantial experience representing debtors in Chapter 7 bankruptcies and providing litigation advice to small businesses defending ADA premises accessibility lawsuits. Drawing on her experience as an owner of a fourth-generation family business, she advises clients on implementing and draft...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.